Retired U.S. Surgeon General Endorses California Initiative to Control and Tax Marijuana
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2010
(California) Highlighting the broad and growing coalition supporting Proposition 19's commonsense solution to control and tax marijuana, former U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders joined the President of the California NAACP, a retired LAPD narcotics detective, the former Police Chief of San Jose, a retired Orange County Judge, and a retired LAPD Deputy Chief in signing the Initiative's ballot statements.
The coalition supporting the Initiative includes medical leaders, law enforcement professionals, faith leaders, economists, and elected officials. For a full list of Proposition 19 endorsements, please click here.
Following is the rebuttal filed by Proposition 19 for the voter guide, and the original pro-Proposition 19 ballot statement:
Yes on Proposition 19 Rebuttal to Opponents’ Ballot Statement
THE CHOICE IS CLEAR: REAL CONTROL OF MARIJUANA, OR MORE OF THE SAME
Let’s be honest. Our marijuana laws have failed. Rather than accepting things as they are, we can control marijuana.
Like the prohibition of alcohol in the past, outlawing marijuana hasn’t worked. It’s created a criminal market run by violent drug cartels, wasted police resources, and drained our state and local budgets. Proposition 19 is a more honest policy, and a common sense solution to these problems. Proposition 19 will control marijuana like alcohol, making it available only to adults, enforce strong driving and workplace safety laws, put police priorities where they belong, and generate billions in needed revenue.
THE CHOICE IS CLEAR: REAL CONTROL OF MARIJUANA, OR MORE OF THE SAME
We can make it harder for kids to get marijuana, or we can accept the status quo, where marijuana is easier for kids to get than alcohol.
We can let police prevent violent crime, or we can accept the status quo, and keep wasting resources sending tens of thousands of non-violent marijuana consumers -- a disproportionate number who are minorities -- to jail.
We can control marijuana to weaken the drug cartels, or we can accept the status quo, and continue to fund violent gangs with illegal marijuana sales in California.
We can tax marijuana to generate billions for vital services, or we can accept the status quo, and turn our backs on this needed revenue.
THE CHOICE IS CLEAR
Vote Yes on 19.
JOYCELYN ELDERS
United States Surgeon General (Ret.)
ALICE A. HUFFMAN
President, California NAACP
DAVID DODDRIDGE
Los Angeles Police Department Narcotics Detective (Ret.)
Yes on Proposition 19 Ballot Statement
PROPOSITION 19: COMMON SENSE CONTROL OF MARIJUANA
Today, hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are spent enforcing the failed prohibition of marijuana (also known as “cannabis”).
Currently marijuana is easier for kids to get than alcohol, because dealers don’t require ID.
Prohibition has created a violent criminal market run by international drug cartels.
Police waste millions of taxpayer dollars targeting non-violent marijuana consumers, while thousands of violent crimes go unsolved.
And there is $14 billion in marijuana sales every year in California, but our debt-ridden state gets nothing from it.
Marijuana prohibition has failed.
WE NEED A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO CONTROL AND TAX MARIJUANA LIKE ALCOHOL
Proposition 19 was carefully written to get marijuana under control.
Under Proposition 19, only adults 21 and over can possess up to one ounce of marijuana, to be consumed at home or licensed establishments. Medical marijuana patients’ rights are preserved.
If we can control and tax alcohol, we can control and tax marijuana.
PUT STRICT SAFETY CONTROLS ON MARIJUANA
Proposition 19 maintains strict criminal penalties for driving under the influence, increases penalties for providing marijuana to minors, and bans smoking it in public, on school grounds, and around minors.
Proposition 19 keeps workplaces safe by preserving the right of employers to maintain a drug-free workplace.
PUT POLICE PRIORITIES WHERE THEY BELONG
According to the FBI, in 2008 over 61,000 Californians were arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession, while 60,000 violent crimes went unsolved. By ending arrests of non-violent marijuana consumers, police will save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars a year, and be able to focus on the real threat: violent crime.
Police, Sheriffs, and Judges support Proposition 19.
HELP FIGHT THE DRUG CARTELS
Marijuana prohibition has created vicious drug cartels across our border. In 2008 alone, cartels murdered 6,290 civilians in Mexico -- more than all U.S. troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.
60 percent of drug cartel revenue comes from the illegal U.S. marijuana market.
By controlling marijuana, Proposition 19 will help cut off funding to the cartels.
GENERATE BILLIONS IN REVENUE TO FUND WHAT MATTERS
California faces historic deficits, which, if state government doesn’t balance the budget, could lead to higher taxes and fees for the public, and more cuts to vital services. Meanwhile, there is $14 billion in marijuana transactions every year in California, but we see none of the revenue that would come from taxing it.
Proposition 19 enables state and local governments to tax marijuana, so we can preserve vital services.
The State’s tax collector, the Board of Equalization, says taxing marijuana would generate $1.4 billion in annual revenue, which could fund jobs, healthcare, public safety, parks, roads, transportation, and more.
LET’S REFORM CALIFORNIA’S MARIJUANA LAWS
Outlawing marijuana hasn’t stopped 100 million Americans from trying it. But we can control it, make it harder for kids to get, weaken the cartels, focus police resources on violent crime, and generate billions in revenue and savings.
We need a common sense approach to control marijuana.
YES on 19.
www.taxcannabis.org
JOSEPH D. MCNAMARA
San Jose Police Chief (Ret.)
JAMES P. GRAY
Orange County Superior Court Judge (Ret.)
STEPHEN DOWNING
Deputy Chief, LAPD (Ret.)
